The Importance of Accurate Documentation in a Personal Injury Case

A West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer would tell you that accurate, complete documentation is a very important component of a successful personal injury lawsuit. A claims adjuster’s role is to make certain that a claim is valid and not fraudulent in any way. An adjuster will want to see supporting documentation for every charge listed in the settlement demand. If no supporting documentation is supplied, an adjuster might suspect that the claim may be padded, suspicious or soft.

Your West Palm Beach personal injury attorney will present the adjuster with a settlement notebook binder or cover letter with a breakdown of expenses. For each line item listed, the attorney should include a copy of the bill that supports the line item. For example, if there is a line item for prescription pain medication, copies of drug store receipts showing the cost of the prescription should be provided. An adjuster is not likely to give a figure much weight if there is no supporting documentation included for it.

Adjusters may be suspicious of medical reports that seem to be a fill-in-the blank document with the patient’s name added. Some healthcare providers submit paperwork to adjusters on a regular basis, and the adjusters begin to form an opinion about certain medical practices and physicians. Some doctors develop a reputation for helping claimants with fraudulent or exaggerated claims. When certain doctors present claim documents, the adjuster is automatically suspicious due to the doctor’s reputation.

In addition to medical bills, an adjuster will want to see the corresponding medical reports. Even if the medical bills are included, an adjuster may well ignore the charges if no medical report is supplied.

Many plaintiffs miss work due to their injuries and request compensation for their lost income as part of the settlement demand. Like any other line item, lost wages require documentation. Your employer should be able to provide documentation that verifies the work that you have missed.

A personal injury lawyer can help a plaintiff collect and organize supporting documentation for a settlement demand. Jessica Mishali is a West Palm Beach personal injury lawyer. To schedule an appointment, please call (561) 833-2772.